ULA Delta 4-Heavy Launches Second NRO Satellite

[Satellite TODAY 07-02-12] United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully placed another U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite into orbit on a Delta 4-Heavy rocket, the company confirmed June 29.

The unmanned rocket lifted from Cape Canaveral, Fla., after the mission was delayed for a day because of weather conditions caused by Tropical Storm Debby earlier in the week. The launch was then delayed for an additional three hours because of several technical issues with a sticky valve, ULA said. The rocket launched without issue once it was cleared for flight.

This was the second satellite launch for the NRO in the last two weeks. ULA launched the first NRO satellite on an Atlas 5 rocket June 20. Both of the satellites are working under classified missions.

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